MANY Tweed small businesses have benefited from the extended five-day Easter/Anzac Day break, according to Murwillumbah and District Business Chamber president Toni Zuschke.

Mrs Zuschke said yesterday the extra-long weekend had provided a much-needed boost for business in the hospitality, accommodation, food and even car-rental industries after a bleak start to the year caused by wet weather.

While the first week of the school holidays, which finish today for some students and tomorrow for others, had been very quiet, she said many businesses were suddenly run off their feet from last Wednesday.

“On the Wednesday and Thursday in the lead-up to Easter, businesses in the town were flat-out,” Mrs Zuschke said.

“Anzac Day was busy as well for those businesses that opened, with many people sitting in pubs and cafes.”

Mrs Zuschke said in her role on the organising committee for the upcoming Cooly Rocks On Festival she had spoken to various accommodation providers and “half a dozen car-rental firms” who told her they had bookings “coming out of their ears” at Easter.

“A lot of people were looking forward to doing what they didn't do over Christmas.”

State MP for Tweed Geoff Provest however warned there were losers from the five-day break.

“I found from my experience working in the club industry the real killer was public holiday wages,” he said.

“It's good for some but you have to do a lot of trade to compensate for public holiday rates.”